WEBVTT UNCOMPRIMISING AND FORWARDLEANING.PLEASE WELCOME OUR GOVERNOR.[APPLAUSE]GOV.JINDAL: WHAT A BEAUTIFULPIECE OF MUSIC.LET'S GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OFAPPLAUSE.THAT WAS AMAZING.[APPLAUSE]SCRIPTURE CALLS UPON US TO MAKEA JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD.THAT IS ABOUT ALL I CAN DO.YOU DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ME SING.THANK YOU MITCH AND THANK YOUFOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE LEADERPELOSI AND SO MANY OTHERS.AND I THINK EVERYONE FOR BEINGHERE.AS WE GATHER HERETODAY TOREMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE WHOLOST THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT OFHURRICANE KATRINA, OUR HEARTSARE GRIEVING.OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY.WE KNOW THERE ARESTILL FAMILIESWONDERING WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENEDTO THEIR LOVED ONES.WE KNOW THAT EVEN AS NEW ORLEANSHAS REBUILTAND IS REBUILDING,THERE ARE THOSE GRIEVING THEDEATHS OF THEIR FATHERS, THEIRMOTHERS, THEIR BROTHERS, THEYARE SISTERS.I WANT THOSE FAMILIES TO KNOWTHAT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERSARE WITH THEM.WE KNOW NOTHING CAN BE DONE TOTAKE AWAY THE PAIN OF LOSINGLOVED ONES.WE CAN TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWINGTHAT THOUGH HURRICANE KATRINABROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES, WE DIDNOT ALLOW THAT STORM TO KEEP USDOWN PERMANENTLY.THAT IS BECAUSE OF OUR RESILIENTSPIRIT.NEW ORLEANS AND LOUISIANA HAVECOME BACK STRONGER AND BETTERTHAN EVER BEFORE.WE HAVE SEEN OUR PEOPLE COMEBACKAS WELL.PEOPLE HAVECOME BACK HOMEBECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN NEWORLEANS.THEY BELIEVE IN LOUISIANA.THERE IS SO MUCH IN OURMEMORIESWHEN IT COMES TO THIS TRAGICSTORM.I SUSPECT EVERYONE HERE HASAPERSONAL STORY OR VIVID MEMORYTHAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.STARTING WITH THE DEVASTATIONAND LOSS OF LIFE.LOSS OF LIMBS AND PROPERTY.TO THE HEROIC STORIES ANDPERSEVERANCE.I HAVE GIVEN THIS DAY IT A LOTOF THOUGHT.I HAVE TOO BEEN MAJOR TAKEAWAYSFROM THE STORMS AND THE LONGROAD BACK.THE FIRST IS THIS.THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA, OF NEWORLEANS, OUR RESILIENT ANDTENACIOUS.THEY JUST CANNOT BE KEPT DOWN.NO MATTER HOW LONG THE ODDS,THEY WILL FIGHT AND FIGHT UNTILTHEY PERSEVERE AND OVERCOME.THE SECOND OBSERVATION.THE AMERICAN PEOPLE LOVE EACHOTHER.THAT MIGHT SOUND LIKE AN ODDTHING TO SAY.BUT AMERICANS REALLY DO CARE FORTHEIR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN.THEY WILL COME TO THEIR RESCUEIN TIME OF NEED.WE SAW THAT FIRSTHAND HERE.WHEN THE CHIPS WERE DOWN FORUS,AMERICANS CAME FROM EVERY SINGLEONE OF THE 49 OTHER STATES.MANY AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.THEY ARE STILL COMING TO HELP USIN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.THEY DID NOT WAIT FOR THEGOVERNMENT, THEY JUST CAME.CHURCH GROUPS, CIVICGROUPS.ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE CAME TO HELPTOTAL STRANGERS.THEY GAVE US THEIR RESOURCES,TIME, TALENTS.THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BEANAMERICAN.AMERICANS ARE A DIFFERENT KINDOF PEOPLE.WE RUN INTO BURNING BUILDINGS TORESCUE COMPLETE STRANGERS.AS GOVERNOR OFTHIS GREAT STATE,I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEPEOPLE OF AMERICA.IN CLOSING, THOSE LOSTIN THESTORM AND ITS AFTERMATH WILLNEVER LEAVE OUR MEMORIES.THEY INSPIRE US TODAY AND EVERYDAY.WE WILL CARRY THE TORCH OFRESILIENCY AND RECOVERY IN THEIRHONOR.BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE KEEPGOING,THEY FIGHT ON.THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE PEOPLEOF AMERICA CANNOT DO IF WE PUTOUR MINDS TO IT.THANK YOU.